Sprinkler systems

ABSTRACT

Improvements in sprinkler systems having fluid under pressure flowing therethrough and a sprinkler head with a pop-up nozzle actuated by fluid pressure. An impeller is actuated by the fluid flow to rotate the nozzle and thus rotate the spray of fluid therefrom. A transmission is disposed between the impeller and the nozzle for transmitting rotation of the impeller to the nozzle. The transmission is sealed off from the fluid passing through the system by a resilient expandable diaphragm at one end. A fluid pressure responsive seal is provided in the system in sealing engagement with the nozzle. The sealed-off portion of the transmission is completely filled with a lubricating medium which is free to selectively contract or expand against the diaphragm in response to varying ambient conditions encountered by the sprinkler head. The nozzle may also include means for varying the pattern of the sprayed fluid and may be comprised of molded plastic components which may be assembled together.



1. In a sprinkler system having fluid under pressure flowingtherethrough, and a sprinkler head operatively connected to said systemhaving a nozzle for dispersing said fluid therefrom, the improvementwhich comprises: impeller means associated with said head operativelyengaging said nozzle for rotating said nozzle in response to said fluidpassing through said system, said impeller means including transmissionmeans for transmitting movement of said impeller to said nozzle, saidtransmission means being sealed off from engagement by said fluid at oneend by an expandable diaphragm separating said transmission means fromsaid fluid and closedoff in a fluid-tight manner at the other end and alubricating medium completely filling the sealed-off portion of saidtransmission means, said lubricating medium being free to selectivelycontract or expand thereby displacing said diaphragm in response tovarying ambient conditions encountered by said sprinkler head.
 2. In thesprinkler system of claim 1 wherein the lubricating medium is of adiffering coefficient of expansion than the materials comprising saidtransmission means.
 3. In the sprinkler system of claim 1 wherein saidtransmission means includes reduction gearing means disposed in saidsealed-off portion and in operative engagement with said impeller meansfor transmitting rapid rotation of said impeller means to slow rotationof said nozzle.
 4. In the sprinkler system of claim 1 wherein screeningmeans is disposed in said sprinkler head adapted to screen fluidentering said system before said fluid contacts said impeller means. 5.In the sprinkler system of claim 4 wherein said screening means includesa screen member encircling said impeller means, said screen memberhaving a plurality of openings therein for screening fluids passingtherethrough.
 6. In the sprinkler system of claim 4 wherein saidscreening means includes a screening member disposed within saidsprinkler head in contact with said fluid entering therein, saidscreening member having a main central imperforate body portion and aplurality of radially outwardly extending upstanding ribs, said ribsforming generally triangular openings between adjacent ribs, saidtriangular openings tapering from said central body portion outwardly tothe periphery of said screening member forming a plurality of peripheralspaced openings disposed about the periphery of said screening memberand in fluid communication with the spaces between adjacent ribs, theportion of said screening member between said peripheral openings andsaid central body portion also being imperforate.
 7. In the sprinklersystem of claim 1 wherein said nozzle includes a first nozzle capportion operatively connected to said impeller means and rotatablethereby, and a main nozzle body having a plurality of passagewaysextending therethrough, said passageways having openings leading intosaid passageways for receiving fluid from said impeller means andorifices leading from said passageways, for spraying fluid therefrom,and means associated with both said nozzle cap portion and said mainnozzle body for transmitting rotation of said nozzle cap portion by saidimpeller means to said main nozzle body.
 8. In the sprinkler system ofclaim 1 wherein said main nozzle body includes an upper nozzle bodyportion and a lower nozzle body portion, three sides of said passagewaysextending through said upper nozzle body portion and leading into saidorifices with said orifices open on one side thereof and the fourth sideof said passageways and the closing-off of said orifices being formed bythe interengagement of said upper and lower nozzle body portions, guidemeans associated with both of said nozzle body portions for guiding saidnozzle body portions into interengagement in a manner whereby saidfourth sides closes off said passageways and said orifices in said uppernozzle body portion in a fluid-tight manner, and said openings beingdisposed on said lower nozzle body portion.
 9. In the sprinkler systemof claim 8 wherein said upper and lower nozzle body portions are weldedtogether.
 10. In the sprinkler system of claim 7 wherein said openingsare generally trapezoidal in cross-section.
 11. In the sprinkler systemof claim 7 wherein said openings are generally rectangular incross-section.
 12. In a sprinkler system having fluid under pressureflowing therethrough, and a sprinkler head operatively connected to saidsystem having a nozzle for dispersing said fluid therefrom, said nozzlehaving a plurality of passageways extending completely therethrough, theimprovement which comprises: impeller means associated with said headoperatively engaging said nozzle for rotating said nozzle in response tosaid fluid passing through said system, said impeller means enclosed bya housing having an upper portion and an open lower end for receivingsaid fluid therein, and sealing means disposed between the upper portionof said housing and said nozzle for preventing fluid entering saidhousing from passing between the upper portion of said housing and saidnozzle while permitting said fluid to flow out of the passageways insaid nozzle, said sealing means being adapted upon application of fluidunder pressure to increase the pressure between it and said nozzle andthe upper portion of said housing.
 13. In the sprinkler system of claim12 wherein said impeller means includes transmission means therein fortransmitting movement of said impeller means to said nozzle, saidtransmission means being enclosed by a second housing, and an expandablediaphragm seal disposed within said second housing between said impellermeans and said transmission means.
 14. In the sprinkler system of claim12 further including template means associated with said sprinkler headdisposed between said nozzle and said sealing means adapted to set apredetermined pattern of spray of fluid under pressure from said nozzle.15. In the sprinkler sytem of claim 14 wherein said template means is ametallic disc having aperture means therein shaped for providing saidpredetermined pattern of spray in a fluid communication with the fluidentering said sprinkler head and in selective fluid communication withthe passageways of said nozzle.
 16. In the sprinkler system of claim 15wherein the upper portion of said housing includes an inwardly extendingflange having a downwardly extending lip thereon, and said sealing meansincludes a resilient ring member having a first generally uprightportion and an integral generally horizontally extending flange portion,the intersection of both of said portions forming a lip bearing againstthe underside of said disc with a first space formed between the lip ofsaid housing and the upright portion of said ring member and a secondspace formed between said flange portion and the flange of the upperportion of said housing.
 17. A sprinkler head comprising: an outerhousing; an inner housing coaxially mounted therein and moveable from afirst position within said outer housing to a second position extendedfrom said outer housing; a nozzle rotatably mounted at the upper end ofsaid inner housing having a plurality of radiating fluid dischargepassageways opening beyond said outer housing when said inner housing isextended out of said outer housing, said passageways being in fluidcommunication with the interior of said inner housing; biasing meansoperatively engaging said inner housing for biasing said inner housingto its first position; and impeller means associated with said innerhousing in operative engagement with said nozzle for transmittingrotation of said impeller means to said nozzle, said impeller meansincluding transmission means disposed within said inner housing, saidtransmission means being adapted to convert rapid rotation of saidimpeller means to slower rotation of said nozzle, said transission meanshaving a portion sealed-off from the atmosphere with an expandablediaphragm disposed between said sealed-off portion and said impellermeans, and a lubricating medium completely filling said sealed-offportion, said lubricting medium being free to selectively contract orexpand thereby displacing said diaphragm in response to varying ambientconditions.
 18. The sprinkler head of claim 17 wherein Said lubricatingmedium has a differing coefficient of expansion than the coefficient ofexpansion of the internal portions of said sealed-off portion.
 19. In asprinkler having a head mounting a nozzle for dispersing fluid throughsaid head and out of said nozzle and impeller means associated with saidhead operatively engaging said nozzle for rotating said nozzle inresponse to said fluid passing through said head, said impeller meansincluding transmission means for transmitting movement of said impellermeans to said nozzle, the improvement comprising: sealing means forsealing off at least a portion of said transmission means fromengagement by said fluid including a displaceable member separating saidtransmission means sealed-off portion from said fluid; and a lubricatingmedium completely filling the sealedoff portion of said transmissionmeans, said lubricating medium being free to selectively contract orexpand and thereby displace said member in response to varying ambientconditions encountered by said sprinkler.
 20. In the sprinkler of claim19, wherein said displaceable member is an expandable diaphragm.